Apparatus for electrolysis of brine.



No. 881,108. PATENTED MAR. 10, 1908. C. F. CARRIER, JR. APPARATUS FR vLEG'IROLYSIS 0F BRINB. APPLIGATION FILB 1911.25.1907.4

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UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

COURTLAND F. CARRIER, JR.,OF ELMIRA, NEW YORK, AssIGN-OR TO EILMIRA ELECTRO- CHEMICAL COMPANY, OF ELMIRA, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 10, 1908.

Application filed April V25, 1907. Serial 110.370,280.

T call whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, COURTLAND F. CAR- RIER, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residin at Elmira, in the county of Chemung and tate of New York, have invented certain new andv useful Im rovements in Apparatus for Electrolysis o Brine, of which the followin is a s eciiication. v

The o ject o this invention is to provide an apparatus for producing caustic alkali and chlorm by electrolysis of brine.-

For a full understanding of the invention referenceis made to the accompanying drawwherein: igure 1 is a' plan view of a preferred form of apparatus, the covers `and anodes being removed Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 ;A Fig. 3 is a vertical sectiongof the same von line 3`-3 of Fig 1; and Fig. 4 is a vertical section ofthe same on line 4 4l of Fig. l. y

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents an electrolytic cell, preferably constructed of 'a unitary body of cement, concrete or the like,

and comprising an anode or decomposing compartment ,2, and one-or more oxidizing or caustic compartments 3, shown as two in number. The decomposing and oxidizing compartments are separated by partitions 4, 4, dependin into slots 5, 5 in the bottom of the cell, an providing passage ways` which in o eration are sealed by mercury inthe usua 'manner- The anode compartment 2 is provided with a gas-ti ht cover 6. The anodes 7, comprising para lel horizontal bars of graphite, are supported .by graphite lugs 8, 8 mounted in the cover 6 p 9,- 9 represent covers for the oxidizing compartn'ients 3, provided with escape pi es 10 for hydrogen.l It will be understoo the covers 9 may be omitted 'in case it is not desiredto collect the hydro en. y

Brine is admitted to t e decomposin compartment throu h pipe 1,1, dispose immediately above t e surface of 'the mer- Ycury; and spent brine and chlorin are. withdrawn through pi e 12, 'located approximately at the leve of the electrolyte. The

- precise levelv of the electrolyte in the' anode compartment may be controlled b ater 1s of adaml 13 within the pipe 12..

vbase of the cell.

that

admitted to the oxidizin compartments 3 through pipes 14, 14, and the caustic solution is Withdrawn from said compartments through pipes 15, constructed to withdraw the solution from points adjacent the level ofthe mercury.

Means are rovided for maintaining acontinuous circu ation of the mercury through the decom osing and' oxidizing compartments, suclil1 means comprising 1n the preferred embodiment of the invention a centrifugal pump 16, located in a pump-well 17 below the general level of the mercury in the decomposin and oxidizingcompartments, and adapte to be driven b bevel gears 18 or other suitable means. T e pump-well 17 communicates through conduits 19 in the cell body 1 with the oxidizin com artments 3, said conduits 19 entering tie we 17 below the pump, in such manner as tov permit the -mercury to rise' Within the Well, and to form therein a dee and effective seal capable under all condltions of preventing the caustic solution from the compartments 3 from passing with the mercury into the anode compartment.` The um 16 discharges through a conduit 20 wit in t e cell body 1 and ex tending the entire length of the anode compartment 2. This conduit 20 communicates with the anode compartment through a slot 21, preferably formed between adjacent edges of glass strips22, 22 cemented into the The total-area of the slot 21 should not exceed the cross sectional area of the mercury conduit 20 adjacent the pump i 16, in order to insure a ow of mercury throughout the entire length of the slot. The conduit20 may be diminished in cross section in the direction of the flow of mercury, -This arrangement is adapted to provide an even flow of mercury over the entire surface of the iioor ,of' the anode .compartment. v v

On the floor of the anode com artment are cemented a number of triang i ar stri s-"z3 of' glass, slate orl the like, disposed as s own m 1 with their apices directed toward s the s ot 21. These strips project slightlyl above the level-of the mercury, and Servet() loo -divide ythe mercury into a series 'ofchannel's 24, each dimim'shing ingsuperclal area anim. f

cross section inthe direction of the mercury seals or passages 5.

The oxidizing compartments 3 are preferably rovidedwith `baflies 25, interposed in the ine of flow of mercury between the seals 5 andthe return conduit 19, these r the retardation due i thus to compensate fo By suitably toits progress roportioning orm of theanode 'comp tially leven and regu may. be secured; or

creased in t ive enrichment. the strips 23 to the size and artment' a substanow of the amal am the velocity of the ow he direction of the outbaiiies serving to -prevent the rich amalgam f from returning dlre'ctly to the' anode compartment. The cathode 'connection Lto the mercury may conveniently be made through plates 26 of graphite, iron or the likearranged on the bottom of the .oxidizin compartments; or in any other suitab e manner. Any known or suitable means for acceleratractice it is preferred to so pros that the How-of elerated' substant ichment in sodium. vision of the central' distribute iniiowing mercury secures tribution beneath the anode.

e several element the mercury is acc yproportion to (2) The pro its evendis ing the oxidation'of the alkali metal in the compartments 3 may be adopted, the arrangement of the .apparatus being correspondingly modified; if for instance the (3) Thedeepseal well 17 and the conduits 19 commumcatin der all conditions o constituted bythe pumptherewith is effective un operation or rest to preventy the passage of between the amalgam is to be decomposed electrolyt ically, suitable cathodes may be supported from thecovers 9 as will bereadily understood.

In order to adjust the cell in such manner as to provide a substantially even and regular flow of mercury over the entire iioor of the anode compartment,- adjusting screws 27 are provided; as shown these screws 27 pass liquids lighter than mercury active-compartments.

g decomposing and means for h, the pasecomposing Shing in supe in the direction of low.

1. An electrolytic cell havin and oxidizing compartments, circulating mercury therethrou sage for mercury through the compartment l having decomposing through supporting sills 28, conveniently. of wood, and constituting a* sulpporting frame for the cement body of the ce 2. An electrolytic cel and means for andv oxidizing. compartments,

h, the pasl 1 circulating mercury therethrou In operation brine is supplied to the compar'tment 2 and water to the lateral compartments 3, and an electric current is caused to i'low to the mercury in thev anode compartment ;/the mercury is set in motion, and ilows regularly and continuously through the apparatusin the direction hereinbefore indicated. e

' In the operation of cells of the mercury cathode ty e it is essential to the highest sage 'for mercur compartment di and superficial area in the 3. Anelectr'oly and oxidizing comp culating mercury therethro tributing slot for mercury su trally disposed in the decomp y through the in cross sec direction of flow. tic cell having decom artments, means or cirstantially cenosing compart- An electrolytic cell having decomposing efiiciency t at the amalgam formed in the anode vcompartment be rapidly and completely removed therefrom; that the mercury be effectively circulated and evenly dis; tributed beneath the anode; and that an eiiective seal be maintained between the liquids in the decomposing *and oxidizing compartments. The advantages of the present apparatus with particular reference t0 the accomplishment ofthese results are as follows: I

(l) As the mercury becomes richer in sodium its flow tends to become sluggish, and sodium or thericher amalgam tends to gather in patches upon the surface of the mercury and to enter again into solutionin the anode electrolyte. The present construction provides mercury channels 24 diminishing in cross sectional area and in superiicial area in the direction of flow of the amalgam; in thesey channels therefore the velocity of iiow of the amalgam tends-to increase in the direction of its movement, and

and oxidizing compartments, culating mercury t lfor mercury d in the decomposing -comp means in said compartment f ing retardation of the flow of a distributtially centrally or prevenirl e amalgam 5. An electrolytic cell having decom osing and oxidizing compartments culating mercury gh, a' distributor mercury substantially centrally in the decomposing comp means in said com a retardation of t said means comp blocks extending mercury andp decomposing artments, a conduit for ally centrally disposed 125 d decomposing compartment, 'and 4 distributing slot between said conduit and ceeding the eros's sectional area of 'said eonv oompertrnent. l lduit et its inlet end.. l l n -310 7. An eleetrolytio cell having decomposingI In testimony whereof, I'aflix my signature f j and 'oxidizing compartments, a conduit for in presence of two Witnesses.

.5 merelly Substantially `centrally disposed- COURTLAND F. CARRIER, JR'.

beneathsaid decomposing compartment, and Witnesses: V a distributing slot between said'conduit and HARRIETTE C. HELLER,

compartment, the -eres)J of said slot not ex DONA-LD HAWKES. 

